Systems and methods for locating cellular phones and security measures for the same

• US 9,204,283 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mullen Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey D. Mullen
• Inventors: Mullen, Jeffrey D
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasraian, Allahyar
• Application Number:
  US11/462,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20070049290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,407 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-457, 455/567
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

Systems and methods for locating a cellular phone are provided. More particularly, systems and methods for providing the location of a requested user'"'"'s cellular phone from a requesting user'"'"'s device (e.g., a second cellular phone) based on access rights defined by the requested user. Location descriptions may be provided at a multitude of levels. For example, if a cellular phone, or an identity associated to (e.g., logged into) a cellular phone, has been given access rights to a cell phone'"'"'s exact location for an indefinite amount of time, that cell phone can receive, on command, the exact location of the approved cell phone. Other levels of location information that can be granted include, for example, proximities, states, and countries.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying on a first wireless telephonic device a plurality of users, wherein each one of said plurality of users is associated to a different one of a plurality of wireless telephonic devices;

receiving on said first wireless telephonic device a first manual input in a form of a selection of one of said plurality of users;

receiving on said first wireless telephonic device an input in a form of a login and a second manual input in a form of a password;

determining whether to allow access of location information for said one of said plurality of wireless telephonic devices associated to said selected one of said plurality of users, wherein said determination includes identifying said user of said first wireless telephonic device from said plurality of users using said login and determining said password is associated with said login and determining whether said selected one of said plurality of users has provided access rights for said location information to said user of said first wireless telephonic device, and said first wireless telephonic device is operable to assign location access rights to said one of said plurality of wireless telephonic devices associated with said selected one of said plurality of users for obtaining a location of said first wireless telephonic device;

transmitting said location information from a server to said first wireless telephonic device; and

displaying said location information on said first wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a positioning system is utilized to provide said location information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said selection occurs on a first display screen and a second display screen is provided on said first wireless telephonic device during said determination.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said selection occurs on a first display screen, a second display screen is provided on said first wireless telephonic device during said determination, and a third display screen is provided on said first wireless device after said location information is transmitted to said first wireless telephonic device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said selection occurs on a first display screen, a second display screen is provided on said first wireless telephonic device during said determination, a third display screen is provided on said first wireless device after said location information is transmitted to said first wireless telephonic device, and a fourth display screen is provided that includes an option to obtain directions from said first wireless telephonic device to said one of said plurality of wireless telephonic devices associated to said selected one of said plurality of users.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a third manual input, wherein said first wireless telephonic device assigned location access rights to said one of said plurality of wireless telephonic devices associated with said selected one of said plurality of users for obtaining a location of said first wireless telephonic device and said third manual input modifies said location access rights.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a triangulation process is utilized to provide said location information.

14. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving a third manual input, wherein said wireless device assigned location access rights to said first wireless telephonic device for obtaining a location of said wireless device, said third manual input modifies said location access rights, and determining a travel time between said wireless device and said first wireless telephonic device.

8. A method comprising:

displaying on a wireless device a first name associated to a first wireless telephonic device and a second name associated to a second wireless telephonic device;

accepting a selection of said first name on said wireless device;

receiving manual input entered into said wireless device that includes a login and a password;

determining whether to transmit location information associated to said first wireless telephonic device from a server to said wireless device, wherein said determining includes performing an identification process based, at least in part, on said manual input to identify the user of said wireless device and determining whether said first wireless telephonic device has provided access rights for said location information for said identified user and said server is located remotely from said wireless device, said first wireless telephonic device, and said second wireless telephonic device, and said wireless device is operable to assign location access rights to said first wireless telephonic device for obtaining a location of said wireless device;

transmitting said location information to said wireless device based on said determination; and

displaying said location information on said wireless device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a positioning system is utilized to provide said location information.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said selection occurs on a first display screen and a second display screen is provided on said wireless device during said determination.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said selection occurs on a first display screen, a second display screen is provided on said wireless device during said determination, and a third display screen is provided on said wireless device after said location information is transmitted to said wireless device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said selection occurs on a first display screen, a second display screen is provided on said wireless device during said determination, a third display screen is provided on said wireless device after said location information is transmitted to said wireless device, and a fourth display screen is provided that includes an option to obtain directions from said wireless telephonic device to said first wireless telephonic device.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a third manual input, wherein said wireless device assigned location access rights to said first wireless telephonic device for obtaining a location of said wireless device and said third manual input modifies said location access rights.

15. A method comprising:

accepting on a first wireless device a manual selection representative of a second wireless device from a list representative of a plurality of wireless devices;

locating said second wireless device;

determining on a server whether said second wireless device has provided permission for said first wireless device to locate said second wireless device based, at least in part, on an identification of a login, that identifies the user of said first wireless device from a plurality of users, and password received by said first wireless device that is associated with said login and determining whether said user is associated with said permission, and said first wireless device is operable to assign a second permission to said second wireless device for obtaining second location information of said first wireless device;

providing location information to said first wireless device based on said determination; and

displaying a map on said first wireless device with a marker representative of the location of said second wireless device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a positioning system is utilized to provide said location information.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said password is received on a first display screen.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said password is received on a first display screen and said login is received on a second display screen.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said manual selection occurs on a first display screen and a second display screen is provided on said first wireless device during said determination.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said manual selection occurs on a first display screen, a second display screen is provided on said first wireless device during said determination, and a third display screen is provided on said first wireless device after said location information is transmitted to said first wireless device.